1. Cross-Reference
This application contains subject matter technically related to subject matter in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 549965 filed July 9, 1990 (JAO 0041) by the same inventor. The related application discloses a packaging container for developer sheets rather than the capsule sheets of this disclosure
2. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cartridge in which a capsule sheet is stored. More specifically, the invention relates to a cartridge which is suitable for storing a capsule sheet used as an image recording medium.
3. Description of the Related Art
A photo sensitive microcapsule sheet used as the image recording medium is described for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,399,209, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. On the base sheet of this kind of capsule sheet are spread the microcapsules which contain the photopolymerization material, the polymerization initiator, and the dyeprecursor as a principal ingredient.
This capsule sheet is usually rolled and stored in the cartridge because the sheet is photosensitive. The storage condition is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,695, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. In the description of the above U.S. Patent, the capsule sheet was stored in a cartridge case made of paper or plastic and the case was wrapped with a plastic film which has low airtightness. Therefore, the capsule sheet in the above cartridge case was easily exposed to outside air through the plastic film while being stored. As a result, the microcapsules on the contaminated capsule sheet are oxidized, so as not to harden or stiffen even if irradiated with light and the quality of the capsule sheet deteriorates. This deterioration of the qualitY is caused by the air infiltrating the cartridge case. As a result, the quality of the record image deteriorates. That is, when a latent image is formed on the capsule sheet by light exposure and developed by a pressing force into a superposed developer sheet, not only the microcapsules in the non-exposure area but also the microcapsules in the exposure area are destroyed. Thus, a clear image cannot be reproduced by the chemical reacting of the developer sheet.